How to Make Delicious Vegetable Samosas at Home

I grew up in Malaysia, where I enjoyed cooking and eating local dishes every day.

My Favorite Indian Snack

When I was growing up in Malaysia, one of my favorite Indian snacks was the samosa. It's very similar to kuih karipap, also known as curry puffs, which are commonly sold at local street vendors and food stalls. The savory filling usually is made with tasty boiled potatoes that are cooked with different types of spices.

Samosas are shaped like pyramids and are deep-fried in vegetable oil until the dough is crispy and golden brown. There are several different ways to fold samosas, and I will show you an easy way. For the filling, you can use any type of meat (chicken, beef, or lamb are popular choices), but I decided to go vegetarian this time.

Note: Traditional samosa dough is made with maida flour and carom seeds, but I didn't have either ingredient. I used all-purpose flour instead, and the result was still great!

Ingredients

For the filling:

• 2 medium potatoes, cut into small cubes
• 2 tablespoons curry powder
• 1 teaspoon Madras curry powder
• 1 teaspoon red chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon whole anise
• 1/2 medium onion, roughly chopped
• 2 teaspoons garlic, crushed or finely chopped
• 1/2 cup frozen peas and carrots
• 1 cup water
• Salt and sugar to taste

For the dough:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon plant-based margarine
• 2 tablespoons ghee or vegetable oil, warm
• 1 1/3 cup water, cold

For frying:

• Vegetable oil

Directions

1. Make the filling: In a small bowl, combine the curry powder, madras curry powder, ground coriander, and red chili powder. Add some water to make a paste.
2. Heat ghee oil or vegetable oil in a pan on medium heat.
3. Saute the onion, garlic, and whole anise until fragrant.
4. Add the curry paste. Stir-fry and let it simmer for a few minutes. Add the potatoes and stir with a spatula to combine evenly with the paste.
5. Add 1 cup of water to the pan. Add sugar and salt. Let it simmer for 15 minutes; then add the frozen peas and carrots.
6. Make sure the potatoes cook thoroughly and are tender before turning off the heat.
7. Make the dough: In a medium-sized bowl, combine the flour and ghee or vegetable oil. Use a spatula to incorporate both ingredients. Add the margarine and continue mixing until it's all combined.
8. Slowly, pour in the water bit by bit. Keep kneading until it forms a dough. Cover the dough with a tea towel and let it rest for 20 minutes before rolling.
9. Shape the dough: Divide the dough into equal-sized balls. Use a rolling pin to stretch the dough (see photo below).
10. Take a spoonful of the filling and put it in the middle of the rolled-out dough. Make sure not to over-fill, or else the samosa will burst during the frying process.
11. Wrap the filling by taking the left and right sides and meet them in the middle. Then, take the bottom and fold it up to form a triangle shape. Crimp and pinch the edges to close.
12. Continue rolling and shaping the samosas until they are all made.
13. Fry the samosas in a pan (make sure the oil is ready over medium heat). The samosas will be ready when they begin to turn golden brown.
14. Transfer the cooked samosas to a paper towel to drain the excess oil.
15. Continue frying the samosas in batches until completed.
16. Serve samosas with your favorite Indian food!

Note: If you don't want to fry all of the samosas right now, reserve some of them in a zip-lock bag and freeze. When you're ready, thaw them out for 30 minutes before frying.

Photo Tutorial

Cut the potatoes into small cubes.

1 / 21

© 2021 Liza

Comments

Liza (author) from USA on February 22, 2021:

You're welcome, Sp. Everyone has a preference when it comes to the fillings. However, I was happy with the vegetarian filling that I did for the recipe. The spices that I put in the filling were balanced perfectly.

One time, my husband bought the frozen samosas too. They were still delicious. However, you were right. The homemade ones are fresh and taste better!

Sp Greaney from Ireland on February 22, 2021:

Thank you for making this receipe using regular flour and vegetable oil and doing a vegetarian version. They final dish looks delicious.

I cheat and buy prepacked ones in the frozen food aisle but I know the homemade ones will taste so much better.

Liza (author) from USA on February 21, 2021:

That's interesting, Linda. I love how they introduced the samosas to you. This recipe is definitely one of the best I have done! I got a wonderful comment from my husband on these samosas. Actually, this weekend I'm planning to make more. Thanks for commenting!

Liza (author) from USA on February 21, 2021:

That's right, Peggy. It saves us a lot of time from the food preparation. I freeze pizza dough and naan bread as well.

Linda Crampton from British Columbia, Canada on February 21, 2021:

I used to teach in a school with many Sikh students. They introduced me to samosas. I love them! Your recipe sounds delicious. Just reading the list of ingredients makes my mouth water!

Peggy Woods from Houston, Texas on February 21, 2021:

That is a good idea to freeze them and have them more available whenever you wish to eat them. I do a lot of that in our home.

Liza (author) from USA on February 21, 2021:

Hi Chitrangada, you're welcome.

First, thanks so much for your wonderful comment. I wish I have maida flour and carom seeds to add to the ingredients list. However, I am planning to make more samosas this weekend. This time, I will get the ingredients right.

Liza (author) from USA on February 21, 2021:

Thanks, Liz. I really appreciate your thoughts every time you leave a comment on my dish. The samosa has definitely become one of my favorite snacks.

Liza (author) from USA on February 21, 2021:

Hi Ravi, thanks for letting me know about the origin of samosa. It's very interesting to know how samosa invented by the Persians before coming to India.

We love samosas, and we can eat them anytime! Perfect for snacking too.

Thanks for commenting, Ravi.

Liza (author) from USA on February 21, 2021:

Yes, MG, samosa is a popular Indian snack. My husband and I usually order samosas as appetizers whenever we go to an Indian restaurant in the US. Apart from samosa, we like vegetable pakoras too!

Liza (author) from USA on February 21, 2021:

Peggy, the samosas were delicious! My husband really loves them. He said one of the best snacks I've made. I plan to make more and freeze them, so he can have them whenever he wants.

Liza (author) from USA on February 21, 2021:

Hi Ivana, I hope you'll give it a try. The recipe works well for me. The samosa was crispy outside, and the filling just delicious. Thanks for commenting!

Chitrangada Sharan from New Delhi, India on February 21, 2021:

Nice recipe article. Samosa is a popular food in India. You have provided a nice article, with helpful pictures and step wise instructions.

Thank you for sharing.

Liz Westwood from UK on February 21, 2021:

As ever, you have created a very professional dish. Your step by step guide and photo tutorial are excellent.

Ravi Rajan from Mumbai on February 20, 2021:

Interesting article Liz. The origin of Samosa has been very intriguing.It was supposed to have been invented by the Persians and came in India through the Mughals. Once in India the SAmosa became the rage of the subcontinent with its irresistible combination of Indian spices, peas, and potatoes.

Thanks for sharing.

MG Singh emge from Singapore on February 20, 2021:

Nice article, samosa is common dish in India.

Peggy Woods from Houston, Texas on February 20, 2021:

These look delicious! Thanks for your recipe and the step-by-step photos.

Ivana Divac from Serbia on February 20, 2021:

Great recipe! I definitely need to try this out, it looks delicious.